A Survey of Cyber-Security in Cyber-Physical Systems: Attack Strategies and Protection Mechanisms

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are a new generation of engineering systems that deeply integrate embedded computing, communication, and control technology with physical systems. They have the characteristics of real-time capability, adaptability, and intelligence. Therefore, they have been widely applied in fields such as smart healthcare, smart energy, and smart manufacturing, effectively improving the production efficiency and quality of human life. The proliferation of open communication networks within CPSs significantly amplifies their susceptibility to malicious attacks. A successful intrusion by an adversary can lead to severe consequences, underscoring the critical need for robust cyber-security measures. This issue has garnered substantial research interest. The main purpose of this review is to comprehensively summarize the recent progress of cyber-security research in CPSs from the perspectives of both attackers and defenders. First, the principles and mathematical models of classical attacks are presented based on the cyber physical attack space. Second, various attack strategies are introduced, that is, how attackers exploit less energy and information to achieve maximum destruction while avoiding detection. Third, protection mechanisms such as attack detection, secure estimation, and control are discussed. Finally, the remaining challenges and potential research directions regarding the security problems of CPSs are provided for future research.